Jaw holder for gripper shuttle looms



Nov. 24, 1953 N P, DARASH 2,660,201 JAw HOLDER FOR GRIPPER SHUTTLE Looms Filed Jan. a, 1951 lzsheets-shee' 1 N/cHoLns .P Dnnnsn BY v /l/@ZT Hrroe/wfys NOV 24, ,1953 .N. P. DARAsH 2,660,201

JAW HOLDER FOR`GRIFPER SHUTTLE LOOMS Filed Janqa, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS UNITED STA ffl ,f-

QFFICE JAW HOLDER FOR GRPPER SHUTTLE LOOMS Nicholas P. Darash, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Warner & SwaseyY Company, Cleveland, Chio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 8, 1951, Serial No. 204,867

19 Claims. (Cl. 139-125) l 2 This invention relates to gripper-shuttle looms, portion, and since breakage normally occurs near and more particularly, to thread-gripper Velethe base of the arm, a broken arm is restrained ments for the shuttles and feeders of such looms. from dropping out of the shuttle or feeder by the An object of the invention is to improve the rubber insert. In an alternate form of the inreliability and continuity of operation of grippervention. a rivet is passed between the gripper shuttle looms. arms and projections formed on the inner sides An object of the invention is to minimizethe of the gripper arms so that, in the event of breakbreakage of arms of thread grippers in gripperw age, the projections engage the rivet and prevent shuttle looms. n A the escape of the broken portion.

An object of the invention is to prevent the It is an advantageous feature of the use of the escape o f gripper arms from gripper shuttles and 'rubber insert that the fatigue effect on theV gripeeders in the event of breakage of the arms. 10er aIInS iS greatly reduced and Very little break- 4 An object of the invention is to prevent damage age takes plaCe. to 1ooms due to failure of gripper arms, These and other objects, features and aspects ln certain looms for Weaving, the weitthread 0f the invention will be more readily apparent vis carried through the shed by a gripper shuttle from a consideration of the following detailed which iss@ constructed and arranged that specification and claims, taken in connection with end of thepiece of' weft thread is'he'ld by the the accompanying drawings, in which:

shuttie- The shuttle action is initiated at the Fig- 1 iS a fIOnt View 0f a gripper-Shuttle 100m; 'spool side of the loom and the lshuttle receives 20 Fig. 2 is a Cross-sectional view of the loom of thread from a feeder element which cooperates Fiel, represented as viewed from the right Side;

k"with the shuttle to transfer the end of the thread Fig. 3 is a' vertical sectional view of the gripper thereto. when the shuttle arrives at the far Shuttle of the invention: side of the loom, the thread is released and the Fig- 4 iS a SeCtOnal View 0f the Shuttle 0f the 'shuttle returned te the Spee] Side of the 1Com, 25 invention,` taken in the direction li-d as indi- Shuttles and feeders useful for such purposes @ated in Fig- 3; y are shown, for example, in United States Patent Figi 5 iS a View Similar t0 Fig- 3,'i011i' Showing No. 2,090,703 issued August `24 1937 to R. Ross a partial vertical section of the alternative emman and normally include a gripper element bodimeni 0f the inVeniiOn? having extended arms which ferm jaws' for grip- 30 Fig. 6 isa partial sectional view taken in the ping the thread. The arms of the gripper eledirection 6**5 in Fig 5;

ment are formed as extensions from a yoke por i Fig- 7 is a from? elevation 0f a DOiiiOn 0f the A tion and er a resihent material in a fashion such 100m Showing a feeder Support and a thread that the thread will be held by the jaws under feeder which holds the weft thread before the Y a considerarse tension. Shuttle-'gripper jaws grip the thread; and

As a result of the marmer of operation of Such Fig 8 is a partial sectional view of the thread shuttles and feeders, movement of the arms of feeder and siiiiii'lie taken in the direction 3.3

rthe gripper to open and ciose'the gripping jaws in Fia '7*- tends to fatigue the metal of'which the arms are i i Refeiiiiigiiow i0 Figsi and 2 there is Shown A made, with the result that, after a period of time, 40 a Weaving machine 0f the" gi'iloei'Siiiiiiie type an arm may break and the detached portion The invention is of especial use and importance escape from the shuttle or feeder body. Such a in Such machines" which operaie automaticaiiy loose piece may cause serious damage to a loom. and ai? high Speeds, The, Weaving machine com- For example, the piece Vmay be left in the shed prises a Supporting franlinillding ahar 0f and cause breakage of e, large group of teeth, or end members 2| and 22 secured to cross members dents of the reed., Again u, may jam the Shuttle 23 and 24, as shown in, cross-section in Figa. conveyor so 4that the shuttles are not returned. The machine includes a 610th beam 25'1'10 Wind The present invention is concerned with a novel a T011 0f 010th 25;.heddle frames 2'! Carrying thek shuttle and feeder-gripper element whereby lheddles; a shedding lfnehanisnlA BnClOSed Within these dliiiculties may be largely eliminated. In s` 'a housing 28; and one or more stationary SDOOIS carrying out-the Vinvention in accordance with 01 packages 29 fOr the Weftyarns- The nlaCiline one form thereof, a gripperzis utilized in which may be providedwith shuttle picking, guiding, thev space between the arms at the yoke end is and COIN/@ying mechanism ofthe. general type lled with rubber, or other rubber-like'materal. disclosed in United States Patents No. 2,160,338, The rubber is bonded to the arms and t@ the yoke' Q55 2,160,339, 2,316,703 and 2,420,380 to A. Moessmger and United States Patent No. 2,099,627 to R. Rossman.

In the apparatus represented in Fig. 1, there is an electric motor 3l for providing the driving power, which is adapted both to drive the main shaft 32 through a suitable drive, such as a belt or chain drive 3-3, and 'to drive Vanfauxiliaryshaft 34 through a suitable drive, such as a belt .or chain drive 35. A hand wheel 35 may also be provided for the main drive shaft 32. In order to facilitate rapid stoppage of operatingparts of the weaving machine in case ofthread failure or failure of some operative part of the weaving machine, an automaticallyk operating cflutchand brake mechanism is also provided'whichzisvconcealed within the drum 37, represented in Fig. El.

Referring to Fig. 2, the weaving machine includes a warp beam 38, heddle frames'l carrying heddle eyesJ 39, a picker box il includinglayV mechanism 52, and the cloth beam 25. There is Va.conventional.supporting barii carryingga-k plu- .,ra'li-ty of drop Vwires-.411i for .an .electr-ical vstop -mechanism responsive to failure oir-.warp ryarnif` a stopk shaft d5 represented in` cross-sectionI in Fig.

2-for producing numerousstop `motions, notzvisi- .ble. in Fig. .2,- including certain'` conventional,` stop mechanisms,v not described. herein, and; a manual i control handle .74,6 Y for. startingvand stopping. the

weaving machine. .Thegwarp beanisis .provided with a -let-oiff `meclianisrn comprising a Vgear drive including j gears ,i'l and .48 :mounted respectivelyon.v a shaft iii)A and on the :warpI beam 38. There is a pivoted support/fora Yvvhiproll :59. For removably supporting one .or Amorenzvarp beams for adapting` ,theiweavi-ngmachine `to; pro-v v .duceone or morewidths .-of rcloth, Ia ,supporting 1 frame 5 I is, providedfsuchfas 'described greater detail inv :lmycopencling application, Serial .No 21,395, filed April 16, 1948, Ynew ,Patent-No.

.During the .operationyof .vthefvveavirigl machine,

the -warpfyarns52 are drawn from the vwarp :beam

38 over the whip roll 53 throughetherdrop-Wires Af1-and: formed -into a-shed.53 bythe operation of the heddlesl 2-` controlled by the-sheddingfmechanism 2B.

-nism- 42- along conventionalL rolls i 55 tothefcloth beam 25, in the form-,ozclotlr 56. As inconventional V.gripper-shuttle `*weaving A. machines, 'the weft threads thrown through theished53byfthe .mechanism in. the picker. .-boxz- 4 l; are, beaten in by .the vreed 54 to lform. the cloth.

Y Referring now to -FigsfS .andli'fhegshuttleof the invention vincludes .a body-or holder1'5; ongenerallyelongateformandhaving separatedrparal- .lel top;-andfbcttomgportions:eandal. Atthe lead end of the shuttle, the side wallsdiof the Fitted within the Lshuttle body -isa gripperf 54 including a yoke portion 55 andzarmsi-and- 61,

A, the entirepiece being formedof a tough resilient material sucll-as-,springsteel.` The-yoke Aportion is secured tojthe. shuttle bodyby means such asjrivets. 68 Whichxtend, between theytopg58 and bottom 55 andhold thegripper rsecurelydn place. "The arms Scand .El are formedinto jaws '59, the'disposition.ofthe arinsfbeing such ,that

`"the-jaws are normallyelosedundera predeterrnineclv tensionofthe.; arms. Openings,-J-.and

7l `in the top and Vbottom ofthe ,shuttlewbodyi .1.4.5 They are then draw-n-,throug'hithe y.dents ofi the:reed- 54 carried byfthe :lay mechalQLdicated in the drawing have been found satis- Afactoryin Aoneapplication. A properly resilient material must be used and the term rubber- `like is intended to include natural rubber, Synthetic .rLu-bber, vand other materials having l5 :physical.properties such as resilience similar to those 'of -rubber'f Any suitable process may be .utilized forbonding the resilient material to the surfaces of the yoke and arm portions of the .-gripper. As used herein, the term bonded is a generic term intended to include any means -.Whereby rubber or rubber-like Y material may be joined -or attached -to other, :and particularly lmet-allie, materials.

y.-lteferring now totl'igs.` 5 and 6, there is,V illusy25 ,tratedan alternative` embodiment of theshuttle of the invention. As there shown, in partial view,r, theshuttle bodylis-.similar -tc `that ofFigs. Bandit-while -a modiiied form of gripperi'iyis enclosed therein. The gripper includes a yoke i130 it and two arms 'i'landj just as the'iirstgrip- Yper-,tft The armst-andfi are, however, formed with twoinwardly-directedprojections 't9 and 115B. 'Ihese projections are-o -suchflength that they do not interfere withvthe, movementL of the 1,35 jaws; and that they do-not normally-come into 140 of v the .shuttle body. 'Ihebroken arm is thus constrained by.A the pin andafside wall so that it cannot escape from the trailingY end of the shuttle. The pin tmay, of course, `be any suit- ,able.rivei' bolt4 orrv stud-like projection.

y Referring now to Fig. 7, there 4is show-n av thread feeder., constructed t.in,-.-accordance with the `invention as previously setforth with respectto the-shuttle. The thread; feeder` is mounted in a -firingfbox indicated generally at-SZ, ,andl serves to .50 transfer thread from the: spools. 2Std thei shuttle,- the1 thread transfer-orfieedpcsition of the -shuttlefbeing shownifin-Fig.-'7. yTn operation, the "shuttle is projected Vloewteenthe firingboXi82 and areceiving boxindicatedgenerally at B3.

As shown in Figs. '7 and8, the thread feeder .includesal support memberorbody-Si, and a thread gripper 85. Thesupportrnember includes .aplate-like piece 86 and pieces 1,558 and 89 ancillary thereto whichserve to` secure and guide the thread-gripper. Thev thread grippert comprises a. yoke-portion Stand spaced resilient arm portionsland Q2` similar to thev gripper of the shuttle previously described,- anddiffering only in detail therefrom. vThe gripper is supported .at the yoke Yportion by pins or rivets Sii extending Vthrough-thepieces Se andai and the yoke portionS. Thepieces'' and 8S are formed so as VVto loe spaced apart from4 the support plate and serveasa-constraint and guide for the gripper f varms 96 and: 9 I.

An insert94 of rubber-like-material is iitted between thearrns 96 and 9i at the yolre end of thelgripperand bonded tothe surface of the -arms ortothe arms and the yoke. This insert 75, functions in identically ,the same fashion as that '5 ofthe shuttle gripper previously describedk and the considerations there set forth are pertinent here.

. YIn operation, the thread feeder jaws Si and 92 are normally closed to hold the thread `95 in an operative position. The jaws of ashuttle 96 are positioned at an angle of 90 with respect to those of the feeder and are spread by an actuating or control member 9i. The shuttle-gripper jaws then pass the jaws Stand 9| of the feeder and, upon withdrawal of the member El, the shuttle jaws seize the thread 95. A feeder jaw actuating or control member 98 then separates the jaws 90 and 9| and the shuttle is-projected from the firing box carrying the thread with it. It wllthus be apparent that the rapid actuation of the feeder will be accompanied by severe vibrational strains in the gripper arms and that the present invention may serve to mitigate those strains and lengthen the life of the feeder grip- Y per.

It is an important result of the use of the rubber-like insert, in the preferred form of the invention, that breakage of the arms is virtually absent. It is believed, although this is only a hypothesis, that the rubber serves as a damper and cushions the vibrations in the arms, and particularly those of a relatively high frequency which might tend to cause a rapid fatiguing of the metal.

It is to be understood that the specific nature of lthe present disclosure is not intended to be restrictive or confining and that various rearrangements of parts and modifications of design may be resorted to without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as herein claimed.

What is claimed is:

l. A shuttle for looms comprising a body having generally parallel `top and bottom portions, one end of said body being open, a gripper in said body comprising a yoke portion, spaced arms extending from said yoke portion to form jaws, means securing said gripper portion to said body, and means attached to said gripper arms for constraining arms which become separated from the .1..

attached to v.said gripper arms for constrainingv arms which become separated from the yoke portion. A

gripper arms'comprising a piece of rubber-like material bonded to the armsof the `said gripper.

8. A shuttle for looms comprising a body-having generally parallel top and bottom portions, one end of said body beingl open, a gripper disposed between said top and bottom portions comprising a yoke` portion and oppositely disposed arm portions extending therefrom, means securing the gripper `to the body, and means for restraining' broken gripper jaws within. the shuttle body comprising inwardly extending `projections on said arms and a pin-like' pieceextending between the top and bottom portions of the shuttle body and being disposed between the gripper arms at a point between the projections and the open end of the shuttle body.

9. A shuttle for looms comprising a body having generally parallel top and bottom portions, spaced side portions extending between the top and bottom portions, a gripper disposed between said body portions, and comprising a yoke portion Y and spaced arm portions extending therefrom,

5. The invention in accordance with claim 4.

said constraining means comprisingan insert of rubber-like material bonded to thearms at the vyoke end thereof. y

V6.` The invention in accordance with claim 4,

said constraining means comprising projections extending inwardly from the arms. 7. Ashuttle for looms comprising' a shuttley body, a gripper in said shuttle body comprising a yoke portion and extended oppositely disposed armportions, means securing the gripper tothe vshuttle body and means for restraining brokeni means securing the gripper to the body and means for restraining broken gripper jaws within the body comprising projections on the arms and a member attached to the body'whereby the projection prevents the escape of the arms from between the side and the member.

10. Thread gripping apparatus for looms comprising a body, a gripper associated with said body comprising a yoke portion and spaced resilient arm portions forming gripper jaws, means securing the gripper to the body, and an insert of rubber-like material bonded to the gripper arms at the yoke end thereof.

11. In a loom, the combination of a support member, a gripper comprising a, yoke portion and spaced resilient arm portions, means securing the gripper to the support member, and means attached to the gripper arms for constraining gripper arms which become separated from the yoke portion.

12. The invention in accordance with claim 11, said last named means comprising a piece of rubber-like material bonded to the arm portions.

13. The invention in accordance with claim 11,

Vsaid last named means comprising an insert of rubber-like material fastened to the arm portions andthe yoke portion.

14. A thread gripper for looms comprising a yoke portion, oppositely disposed arms extending from said yoke forming gripper jaws, and a piece of rubber-like material attached to said jaws at the yoke end thereof.

15. A thread gripper for looms comprising a yoke portion, oppositelydisposed arms extending from said yoke forming jaws, and a, piece of rubber-like material bonded to lsaid yoke and to said jaws. v y

16. Athread gripperfor looms comprising a yokeportion, oppositely disposed arms extending from said yoke forming gripper jaws, and inwardlyV extending projectionson the inner sides of said arms.

175A thread gripper for looms comprising a yoke portion, oppositely disposed arms extending from said yoke forming gripper jaws, and oppositely disposed projections on said arms.

18. Thread gripping apparatus comprising a body having top 4and bottom portions, one end ofsaid body being open, ay thread gripper in said `body comprising a yoke, and spaced Yarms extending from said yoke to form jaws, means securing said thread gripper to said gbody, and means 

